To be or not to be
by buddyBatmanWW
Summary: This is somewhat like my 'To see him cry', only that this time, it is a Diana narrative. Due to a malfunctioning of the teleporter, the league find themselves to have crossed the dimensions, and they meet a Bruce Wayne who is not the Batman!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination

**Prologue**

"So, won't you tell me about it?" he asked, finally breaking the long and awkward silence. I could hear an unsaid - _Please!_

I didn't know if I wanted to. It would make him happy, certainly it would.

But what about me? I dreaded the thought, I dreaded the whole experience. I knew it wasn't going to happen, not in this world! But the thought of losing him to another woman wasn't something I could digest, not even in a dream!

But…he was happy! He was very happy! That was everything he had ever wanted – a beautiful wife, a lovely child, a coveted social stature, a happy life…

And most of all…_his parents!_

And I was bugged by this! I was bugged by seeing him happy! I was eating my heart out!

_But why?_

_How could I be so selfish?_

=======================================


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination

**Chapter 1**

"Flash!" 

Superman's shriek echoed in the hangar. Never in my association with the league had I seen him become so furious. Rest assured, Flash made himself available almost immediately. 

"Whatever it is, I…I didn't do it!" he stuttered. He knew that he was in for some big trouble from the big guy. 

"Have you been fiddling with the teleporter again?" Superman demanded. 

Flash looked down, tracing circles with his shoe. "Well, I was alone and it suddenly started giving some weird sounds. I just fixed a nut here and a bolt there and it stopped cooing." 

"The point is, it stopped working!" Superman growled. 

Flash seemed to turn pale, though I could bet that he had seen that coming. His eyes darted around to every one of us, but no one was ready to help him. 

Superman crossed his arms across his chest and stamped his foot impatiently, waiting for an answer. 

"Well, there is no point standing here, right!" Flash winced as he said, "Batman…" 

"Yeah, right!" Superman said sardonically, "You keep breaking things and he'll keep fixing them for you!" 

He was right. It was the third time in a week that Flash had fiddled with the teleporter. But this one it was certainly better than the last one, when the machine began to teleport anyone to anywhere at its will. Not to mention, many of us suffered its wrath. Superman, I mean Clarke, found himself in his neighbour's bathroom. It turned out that the neighbour postponed his bath to give one to his wife's poodle. And hence, though he was magnanimous, the poodle wasn't. I don't know where Hawk Girl was teleported to, she said she'd rather not talk about it. The others were secretive too, only Clarke's adventure was an open secret. Needless to say, Flash had a hard time looking us in the eye after that. 

"Perhaps we should call him." I suggested. 

"I am not going to call him this time. If you want to, be my guest." he said. Well one couldn't blame him for the exasperation he showed. Bruce would vent his frustration on him, holding him responsible for the mishap. He would then protest and Bruce would return his icy cold stare. 

"Superman! This is no time to get cranky." I said, "I'm sure he won't be hard you, _today!_" 

"Well, the fact that it's _today_ gives him more liberty to be hard on me, for I cannot retaliate." He said wearily. "I have asked Jonn take a look at it. I'm sure he can be of some help." 

I must say I was disappointed, may be too conspicuously disappointed, for Superman added, "Why don't you just go to the manor and wish him. I'm sure _you_ are welcome!" 

"I think everyone of us should at least wish him, personally. We sure do owe him that much." I said. 

Superman frowned, but Flash took the lead to jump into the conversation and shift the focus off the matter in hand. "I wished him this morning!" he said. 

"This is morning, Flash! When did you wish him?" Superman demanded. 

"At 12 AM!" Flash said, shrugging his shoulders slightly, "As a matter of fact, so did Hawk Girl and GL! I thought you did too!" 

Superman was hurt deep inside. Rest assured he hadn't. He and Bruce had a bitter argument two days ago, when he had come to fix the teleporter. And from then on, they did not talk to each other. 

"Well, I didn't!" he said slowly, and then came out more savagely, "Don't try to blow me off the track, mister! I think it's time you started acting responsibly." 

Flash took it to heart. He was the youngest of us all, and he was always treated like one. Not to mention, he behaved like one, displaying no maturity whatsoever when it came to taking responsibility. And then he would complain that he merits greater responsibility for his talent. He would insist on taking up a mission all by himself, and then screw up somewhere and call us in to clean up the act. 

"Everyone! May be you should come here and take a look!" Jonn's voice resounded. There was something wrong with the speaker system too, apparently. We all made our way to the monitor room. 

"I think I have fixed the teleporter. But there is a minor issue with the location pointer." He pointed to the small screen near the controls, "It is supposed to be locked at the Wayne Manor. But now, it is nowhere to be seen!" 

"But that is going to be a problem!" Superman said, brushing Jonn's finger away from the screen. "How do we know that we'll be transported to the correct location?" 

"Fortunately, the location setter is still working. We might take a small test to find out if that is a problem!" Jonn suggested. 

We looked at each other, and then, everyone turned to Flash. It was a unanimous decision. 

"All right! All right! I'll go!" he said, "if you guys promise to leave me off the hook this time!" 

"We don't promise anything!" Superman said solemly. 

Flash sighed and entered the teleporter field. Jonn left the default location as Wayne Manor and pressed the button. 

A sudden surge of white light washed the place and before we knew what was going on, we all were one mile away from the Wayne manor.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination

**Chapter 2**

"Kudos!" Flash said sardonically, "Now we can all wish him _'Happy Birthday'_"

We could see the manor, on the top of the hill. We found ourselves walking towards it, though it was hardly the plan. In fact, we didn't have any plan at all.

"Doesn't this place seem to be – um - _higher_ than usual?" Superman said, as we reached the foot of the hill.

"Yeah! And I don't remember seeing so many trees around here, the last time we visited!" GL said, as he inspected the surroundings.

"Well the house still looks pretty much the same!" I said, trying to hide my exasperation. Frankly, I didn't care if the hill was higher or the grass was greener. _I just wanted to see him!_ The pique between Clarke and Bruce had somehow interfered with our relationship too. I did take Clarke's side of the argument, and that certainly should've pissed him off.

We stopped halfway down the path. Well actually, Superman did. The rest of us simply followed him.

"Aren't we going in?" I asked, this time sounding desperate.

"I'm not sure if he'd want to have us," he said, sceptically. "You know how critical he is about our public appearances."

Superman had the point, and the others seemed to agree with him and began to leave. I had to follow them, dejected. That is one disadvantage of being a team player, you need to give one to the team.

Superman who was leading the way down again, stopped suddenly, and so did his entourage.

"What happened?" Hawk Girl asked, clenching her club, ready to act.

"I hear a car, speeding up the hill!" he said. After a while, we could hear that too. I would've wagered that it was a sports car, may be a Ferrari.

"Move away, everyone!" Superman shrieked suddenly. But we were a little too late to act upon his instruction. Or maybe we were too bewildered to act upon the most singular incident that occurred after the shriek.

It was a Ferrari alright, and it sped up on the turning and made its way for a head-on collision with Jonn. Jonn made himself transparent almost immediately and the car lost its balance and made it off the edge. Before we could comprehend what was going on, Superman was on the rescue, as he lifted the car back to the road.

I knew that the driver was up for some serious trouble from the way Superman pulled out the car door and threw it away. I expected that to be Dick Grayson, in which case he was up to some trouble with his guardian too, but…

"Bruce!" Superman exclaimed. We all rushed to the dishevelled car. It was Bruce all right. But he was unconscious, with his head on the steering wheel.

"Oh, my god! I hope he's not hurt!" Jonn said, gently pushing him backwards so that we could see him face. He wasn't hurt, at least there was no visible wound. He must've had a concussion.

Superman slowly pulled him out of the car and helped him to the shadow of one of the trees. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and patted his forehead, brushing the hair backwards.

"You don't suppose he's been to a beauty parlour, do you?" Flash remarked, "His face looks unusually smooth today."

He was right. He did looked smoother, no scars, no wrinkles around his eyes and no dark circles. I smiled at the thought of his having a facial or something. Well he had to look good for the party, not that I had any complaints regarding his previous look.

"He's coming!" Jonn said suddenly. Superman had fetched the water bottle inside the car.

"Aah! What on earth just happened?"

"Don't get up!" Jonn ordered. Pushing him back, gently, "You have a concussion!"

"Just have some water!" Superman said, handing him the bottle. He tried to grab it, but fumbled. I took it from his hands and brought it to his mouth.

I must've given him more than he could take, for hew choked and coughed hard.

"S..Sorry about that!" he murmured an apology, "I…_WHAT THE HELL!_"

I don't remember which of us was more surprised to see the other. But certainly he was more expressive of it that I was. For a moment, he was gaping at me, as if he had seen a ghost!

"Bruce, what's wrong?" I asked, concerened.

"You…you know my name!" he stammered.

"Well, of course, I do, Bruce! Are you…" I wasn't able to complete for I must say, I was distracted by his expression, which melted from confusion to awe to exhilaration.

"For the love of god, you're Wonder Woman!" he shouted. I've never heard him use such a phrase before, he usually did not bring _God_ into his expressions. It was my turn to gape at him.

He turned away and looked around at the others, with the same expression planted on his face. "You are the Justice League!"

"Well, of course, we are, damn it!" Superman shouted in aggravation, but before he could vent out his frustration completely, Jonn pulled him back.

"I need to talk to you, all of you!" he said, in a muffled voice. "Something is not right here!"

We all gathered around Jonn, leaving Bruce in his own world.

"I think he has lost his mind!" Superman said.

"Not exactly!" Jonn said, "This…this is not our man!"

"You mean he is an imposter?" Hawk Girl gasped.

"No…no… he is Bruce Wayne all right! Calm down!" Jonn said in a hurry, "He is just not the Bruce Wayne we know."

"Don't be cryptic here, man! What do you want to say?" GL asked.

"It's just that, he's not Batman!" Jonn suggested.

"And we are still the Justice League, except for him!" Superman said, "That's preposterous! I'm sure he's fooling us!"

"No, Superman!" Jonn said, "I have read his mind."

"His mind! How can you read his mind! He has a way of blocking you?" I said.

"Exactly my point! He's not blocking me! He is not our Bruce Wayne!"

None of us realised when Bruce had come up to us and joined our conversation.

"What are you guys discussing? What do you mean I am not the Bruce Wayne?" he demanded.

"Ah! Don't worry about that, Mr. Wayne! " Jonn said, "It's really nothing!"

Ordinarily, Bruce would not be satisfied by the answer, but this time, he didn't seem to bother. However he frowned, as if the expression was unpalatable.

"Are you on a mission?" he asked.

"Well, not exactly," Jonn said, "Our teleporter had given us some trouble, and we were dumped here!"

"And what a coincidence!" Bruce sighed in relief, "And as long as you are here, why don't you come to the manor?"

"Ah, that's very kind of you, Mr. Wayne, but…"

"Um, just for clarification, they call me Bruce, or Bruce Wayne, not Mr. Wayne!" he said, cutting off Jonn.

"Well that is odd!" Flash muttered.

"And please, allow me the honour to have you at my humble home!" he said with uncharacteristic meekness.

We looked at each other spoke with our eyes. Finally Superman took the lead.

"That will be an honour, Mr. … I mean, Bruce!" he said.

"Awesome! I've been away from Gotham for three months now, and I just can't wait to get back home. I'd love to see the expression on his kid's face when he sees you all!" he said, as he craned his neck to look at the manor, as if he was expecting to see someone there. Then he turned back, a little disappointed.

"I think we should get going!"


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is entirely a product of our own imagination

**Chapter 3**

We had to fix Bruce's car before we could proceed any further. Superman took up the responsibility and the car looked good as new, expect for the seam where the welding was not inconspicuous. Bruce seemed to be satisfied. He offered to have two of us in the car, and so Hawk Girl and I were given the precedence as ladies. We were at the manor date in 5 minutes. 

Jonn was holding on to his not being the Batman theory, and Superman was adamant on proving it wrong. In fact that was the only reason why he agreed to accompany Bruce. Once at the gates, Bruce punched something on the small key pad at the arch, and the gates opened automatically. For some reason, he looked disappointed, and did not talk till we reached the manor door. 

I could see the silhouette of a man tending the garden. It was Alfred, of course. 

"Alfred!" Bruce shouted sticking his head out of the window. Alfred threw the garden scissors down and rushed to the car. Bruce stepped out and met his butler in a warm hug. 

"Master Bruce! I wasn't expecting you!" Alfred said. 

"That's odd!" Bruce frowned. "I thought I had informed that I was coming today! In fact, _where is everyone?_" 

"Yes, of course, you did, sir!" Alfred said, helping Bruce with the luggage, "And everyone has gone to the airport to pick you up! We didn't know that you'd take the road!" 

"Ah, damn it! I should've known", Bruce snapped, "and I was getting all cranky about no one being here to receive me!" The frown of disappointment seemed to disappear now. 

"And you've got friends, sir!" Alfred asked politely pointing to us. 

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot!" Bruce said, "Say! Don't you know who they are?" 

"I believe they are the Justice league, sir, unless you say they're not the real ones!" Alfred said with all the modesty his demeanor could allow. 

"They are _the_ Justice League, Alfred!" Bruce laughed. 

"That is amazing, sir!" Alfred let his eyes widen a bit in amazement. "Should I show them the guest room?" 

"Well, I'm not sure if I can detain them any longer," Bruce shrugged and turned to us, "I hoped to introduce you to my family, they would've been extremely excited to see you. But, I guess…" 

"That's all right, Mr…Bruce! We'd love to meet them!" I said, almost immediately. I certainly did not think that through. Perhaps I showed more desperation that I wanted to, for Bruce frowned for a while, and then gave a warm smile. I was sure that even the others wanted to know what this was all about. Well, I assumed as much, because no one else talked. 

Even as we entered the huge hallway, we heard another car stop behind us. 

"There they are, Master Bruce!" Alfred said, as he made his way out to get the door. Bruce nudged his way through us, mumbling a candid - _Excuse me!_ and followed Alfred. 

As the car door opened, a tall and elegantly dressed elderly gentleman with a neatly trimmed grey moustache stepped out. Bruce engulfed the man in a tight hug. The man chuckled and rumpled his hair, and then hugged him back. 

"Oh, Bruce, my son! We missed you so much!" 

_"I missed you too, Dad! I missed you all!"_


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is entirely a product of our own imagination

**Chapter 4**

An elderly lady stepped out from the other side, Mrs. Martha Wayne. She looked elegant. I realized where Bruce inherited his good looks from. He had the personality of his father, but his facial features matched his mother's. He greeted his mother too with the hug and a small peck on the cheek. The he whispered something into her ears and she whispered something back. Bruce loosed his collar up a bit and breathed out, as if he was going to perform an arduous task. 

I did not realize that I had walked a good five steps forward from my original place. I don't know if anyone else noticed, but it became clear to me once I began to hear their voices distinctly. 

He bent a little to open the back rear of the car. Even as he did so, the glass window came down, and I could see a lady wearing a white hat and tinted glasses. I couldn't as much read the expression on her face, but from what followed, I could guess that it was a scorn. 

As she stepped out of the car, I could see she had a brilliant orange hair. She was tall, I could wager a good five feet nine. I wasn't sure if I had seen her before. I recollected the names of all the women Bruce was associated with, though it was a painful task - _Selina, Talia…umm…Veronica Vreeland…and…Harley! No definitely not Harley!_ And then, I felt a sudden pang in my heart. The realization dawned upon me - _He is married!_

"You have no sense of responsibility whatsoever, _Mr. Bruce Wayne!_" she looked highly impatient and rolled her eyes at him. Bruce tried to persuade her, but in a lower voice, so all I could hear was _Please baby!_ It was then that I realized that I was away from my group here, and tried to make the retreat inconspicuously. 

"Who is this one?" Hawk Girl murmured to me. 

I shrugged. "I don't know." 

"Wait a second! I think Bruce told me about her once. Orange hair!" Superman mused. 

"Well we can always ask him." Flash remarked, "He seems to be the kind of guy who'll answer!" 

Meanwhile, the quarrel seemed to have subsided. I only turned to see Bruce kiss that lady. I was disturbed, really disturbed. On the other hand, the Waynes seemed to acknowledge our presence. 

"You are Superman, aren't you?" Thomas Wayne came up to us, extending his hand for a shake. 

Superman, who was still contemplating over who the lady with orange hair was, winced a bit before he extended his own hand. 

"Well, well, whom do we have here," he said, looking at all of us, "the Justice League!" 

He smiled genially, and we just had to smile back. Martha Kent joined her husband. 

"I didn't know that Bruce had Superhero friends," she said. 

Before we could say something, Bruce almost ran to his mother and father and explained, "We are not exactly friends, mother. I happened to meet them on my way to the manor, and invited them over." 

"That's really good thinking, son!" Thomas Wayne said, "It's not often that anyone gets the honor to be the hosts to the Justice League!" Each time he said that, there was more reverence in his tone. Bruce nodded and smiled. 

In all that haste, no one seemed to have noticed a little boy peeping from behind Bruce. I saw him first and my lips involuntarily curved into a smile. He smiled back shyly and quickly retreated to his hide out, pulling Bruce's coat as he did so. Bruce became mindful of the little boy. 

"There you are!" he exclaimed, "I just knew that I was missing something." He snapped playfully. The next moment, the boy was in his arms and then over his shoulders. 

"And now you forgot that you have a son!" the lady said sardonically. 

"Ah, comm'on baby, gimme a break!" Bruce sighed. 

"Are you even going to introduce me?" she protested. 

"Of course, of course!" Bruce shook his head, "Ladies and gentleman, this is Andy." 

_Andy_ - sounded familiar. 

Andy seemed to pinch him from behind, as he jumped suddenly. She raised her eye brows, keeping her smile intact. 

"All right!" Bruce shrugged, "This is Andrea Belmont," he said and looked at her. She did not seem to be satisfied. He acted quickly. 

"Well that was before our marriage, of course!" he laughed nervously, "Now she's called Andrea Wayne. My Andy!" 

I was dumb struck. _Andrea Belmont – the Phantasm!_

Author's note:

I guess many of you would've wanted to see Selina. Well I must explain. I somehow have a soft corner for Andrea Belmont. I even loved her look in The MAsk of the Phantasm movie, the one after 10 years. veronica vreeland could've been a choice to consider, but she was better off as a childhood friend.

Also, the fact that Bruce met Andrea and even proposed to her before he met Selina kind of supports my choice of Andrea as Bruce's wife, because in the life of this Bruce Wayne, he got all that he wanted.

Do review


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is entirely a product of our own imagination

**Chapter 5**

"And this is my son, Thomas – Thomas Wayne Jr.!" he said, bringing the boy back onto his feet. We were walking into the house by then, although I didn't realize that. We were in the hall.

_Thomas_…well it was a natural choice, although I expected _Damian_. To be frank, I was glad that it wasn't Damian.

Superman tried to luck his cheek but he shied away behind his father. He then pulled his coat to attract his attention, suggesting him to bend down and bring his ear to his mouth. He cupped the side of his face and his father's ear and whispered. Although it was meant to be a secret, the little boy could barely contain his excitement, and parts of his lines just flew out of his high pitched voice. He was cute, cute no doubt! Bruce raised his eye brows as the boy whispered, and smiled generously.

"Well of course, you can!" Bruce smiled. The boy let go of him almost immediately and ran up the stairs.

"Um, please don't mind." he said, "My son is a big fan of you all, especially Flash."

I could see that Flash blushed slightly. He would definitely brag about it once we were out of here. It was always a tug of war between Flash and Superman when it came to who was the most popular among children, and Superman was on the advantage, for kids loved the man who could fly. But this would earn Flash a considerable number of points.

"So, Mr. Flash, can he please have your autograph," Bruce requested. That must've sounded unearthly, especially to Flash, for Batman never _had to_ request him earlier.

"Of course, Bruce!" Flash said. Bruce slightly winced at being called by his first name, and Flash realized his mistake almost immediately, "I mean, Mr. Bruce Wayne."

Bruce gave a nervous chuckle, "No, I didn't mean to be rude," he explained, "It's just that, only the ones very close to me call me with my first name." He seemed to consider that remark again and added immediately, "But, I love to be called Bruce. So, please call me Bruce."

In the meantime, the boy came in running down the stairs with a poster of Flash in his hand. It was a life size poster and he had folded it to half. He held it high to make sure that it did not graze the floor.

"Come on here buddy," Flash called him. To his surprise, the boy handed the poster to Flash and withdrew immediately, back to his father's lap. Bruce smiled self-consciously as he tried to gently get out of the embrace.

"So, are you not a Superman fan?" Flash remarked, as he signed the poster and drew his lightning bolt symbol below it. Superman frowned, but Flash chose to ignore. The boy just turned around briefly and shook his head, smiled and immediately buried his face in his father's lap again.

"Is Tommy Superman fan," Bruce asked in a playful tone, stroking his hair. The boy shook his head again, without raising it.

"Then tell them who the Superman's fan is!" Bruce said, putting his arms under her shoulders and raising him into the air. The boy shook his head again, but on further persuasion from his mother, he held out his hand and pointed to his grand father.

Thomas Wayne laughed heartily. "Yeah, yeah, that's right!" he said, and turned to Superman. "I really admire you, sir."

It was Superman's turn to blush, but did that with grace, unlike Flash.  
>"Please don't call me sir, sir!" he said.<p>

"Don't call me sir either," Thomas Wayne chuckled. "You can actually call me Thomas!"

"Um, I think I'll just call you Mr. Wayne!" Superman smiled nervously.

"And s long as we're on the subject," Bruce intervened, "I think you should speak up too, Andy!" he looked at Andrea and winked.

"Bruce!" she blushed and scorned at him at the same time. Bruce shrugged and pointed somewhere between Hawk Girl and I.

"Well," she began nervously, "I think it's obvious that being a woman, I admire the strong women standing up for the world.

"Yes," Martha Wayne added, "We admire you both ladies. You two are just wonderful!"

"In fact, Andy idolizes you, Wonder Woman" Bruce said, "You should see her punching the bag."

"Bruce, stop it!" she nudged him. He winced and rubbed his shoulder, mocking her.

"He is simply blowing it out of proportion," she laughed. "Although I do try to keep myself strong and firm. I took self defense classes in college, and teach the same in the Wayne foundation's home for under privileged woman."

"I for one would never want to fight her," Bruce teased.

"Bruce, you might want to stop, or you'll _**get it!**_" Andy threatened him, showing her fist. It was nothing phenomenal and Bruce was certainly blowing it out of proportion.

My eyes shifted to Thomas and Martha Wayne, who watched their son and his wife with content-filled eyes. For a moment, I forgot that it was _my Bruce_ out there. _It was just one big and happy family_

_"Hey, old man! Guess who's here!"_ came the voice from the door.

"Ah, don't call me that man!" Bruce protested, as he rose from his seat.

_Dick Grayson!_

He was a youth, wearing denim jeans and a white T-shirt, over compensated by a leather jacket. He held a helmet against his thigh and his hair was disheveled by its usage. He came in and made himself at home instantly. He grabbed a handful of cookies that Alfred was bringing for us.

"Way to go, Al!" he nudged him playfully, "You look years younger after your day out with Maggi, ha!"

Alfred smiled consciously. That was the first time that I had seen him smile with his teeth out. But he withdrew it hastily and acknowledged Dick's greeting graciously, "It's nice to see you too, Master Dick!"

Dick's eyes fell on us and his cookie dropped from his mouth.

"Holy smokes!" he exclaimed, "It's _them!_"

"Is that what you learnt in Princeton, Dick?" Bruce said.

Dick disregarded that. "You didn't tell me you knew them!"

"I didn't tell you so many things," Bruce replied casually.

"Are they staying for the party? Tell me they are!" Dick pleaded earnestly.

"What party?" Superman asked.

"Oh, he didn't tell you?" Thomas Wayne frowned. "It's Bruce's birthday party!"

Of course, it was Bruce's birthday.

But Bruce seemed to disapprove of it.

"Dad!" Andrea protested, "it was a surprise!"

"Oh," Thomas Wayne bit his tongue, "Sorry, Andy!"

"Dad, I insisted that there would be no party!" Bruce said firmly.

"But Bruce, birthdays come only once in a year," Martha Wayne said, "And…"

"Mom, we're not discussing this anymore. **I don't want a party!**" Bruce said distinctly. She sighed disappointedly. We were stunned by his behavior towards his parents. I mean…being cold to others is one thing…but…

Thomas Wayne rose and walked towards him. "It's ok, Bruce! If you don't want it, we won't have it. I will have Alfred recall all the invitations."

Bruce sighed and sat back. "Ah, Dad! You shouldn't have…" his eyes fell on Andy, who was almost in tears. She turned away from him as his eyes met hers. He looked around to see the disappointed faces of everyone.

"Ok, all right! Let's have it," he said, finally, "I am sorry, mom, dad, Andy, everyone!"

The mood seemed to lighten up a bit, although Bruce did not seem very pleased. I could see no reason why he should object having a party on his birthday. Well there were more than a few things I didn't know.

"Would you be so kind to accept our request and honor our party?" Thomas Wayne asked courteously.

Bruce opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it.

"We will," came Superman's answer.

For once, I was glad that we thought alike.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is entirely a product of our own imagination

**Chapter 6**

Bruce asked for a private talk with his father, and Alfred showed us to the guest rooms. We were given three rooms, which were furnished eloquently. Hawk Girl and I were sharing a room and I must say that all the grandeur was slightly daunting for most of us.

"Mrs. Andrea Wayne is a celebrated interior designer." Alfred said, as though reading our minds. I don't know how the others had reacted, but Hawk Girl and I could barely suppress a smile. We had seen these rooms before and Bruce had certainly done a better job.

After showing us around and making sure that we were comfortable, Alfred left us with a word that he would intimate us when the lunch was served. Hawk girl, who was till then forcing a silence, burst as soon as she heard the door click.

"Celebrated interior designer!" she mocked, "I still don't understand why we need a chandelier in the bedroom, just above the bed."

"So that it is convenient and can never miss its target!" I said with a sardonic smile. I was somehow enjoying it.

"Yeah, right!" Hawk Girl nodded, "And this place is so much lit up, I don't think anyone can sleep in here!"

"We can always turn off a few lights," I said, reaching for the switches.

Hawk Girl had moved to the window and something seemed to have caught her eye.

"Hey, Diana! You've got to see this," she said. I gave up searching the right combination to get ample brightness and walked to the window to join her.

"Look out there," she pointed. We could see the garden and a swimming pool. I didn't remember seeing a pool before, perhaps I didn't pay much attention. But what caught Hawk Girl's eye, and eventually mine, was Bruce and his father.

"Can you hear them?" I asked.

"I am no Superman." she replied.

"Of course," I muttered. The conversation was certainly not a pleasant one, for it looked like he was yelling at his father. It was hard to take, for it was hard to imagine that a man so devoted to his father would behave like that. But again, we were in a wrong place.

And suddenly, I was so overcome by the desire to know what was going on that I called in Superman. He was here in a few minutes, and with him came Jonn who was sharing the room.

"Oh, my god! What's wrong with him?" Superman exclaimed as I directed his attention to the charade outside.

"What is he saying?" I asked inquisitively.

"He's saying - _You don't understand me! You never understood me! Why do you keep doing this to me?_" Superman sighed as he listened.

That was baffling. Superman narrated the entire conversation for us as he heard it.

"Son, I don't want you to get into any kind of trouble," Thomas Wayne said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Bruce wasn't listening. He pushed his hand off almost immediately.  
>"Dad! I was <em>this<em> close to getting that contract, and you ruined everything. Now everyone will look at me like I am a fool! Is that what you want - to trash out my reputation?"

"Son, it's not worth all the pain you'll have to take for it, trust me!" Thomas Wayne pursued, "And it's just one contract. I tell you and you know that it's worthless. Let him have it!"

"It's not about the contract, dad!" Bruce clenched his fists tightly and then brought them to his hair, puling at it savagely. Thomas Wayne looked alarmed.

"Bruce, are you all right!" he almost shrieked, putting both his hands firmly on his shoulders and then brought them to cup his face. Bruce seemed to shudder a bit and go breathless. He then regained his composure, pushed his father's arms away and shouted back. We did not need Superman to relay his outburst to us.

_**"I am not going to die! And even if I am, there is no point in making my life a living hell for whatever the time I have!"**_


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is entirely a product of our own imagination

**Chapter 7**

_At the lunch table_  
><em>His words were still ringing in my ears<em>

It was a large table with two chairs, one at each head, and five chairs on each of the other two sides. Thomas Wayne took his place at the head, as cheerful as ever. The others followed, taking their usual places relative Thomas Wayne, I presumed. Martha Wayne sat to his right, and Andrea Wayne was seated leaving one chair to Mr. Wayne's left. It had to be for Bruce, who was nowhere to be seen.

Andrea became a little conscious of her husband's absence, while Thomas Wayne Jr speculated on taking a seat next to his mom. He did not have a choice though, for Dick Grayson sat leaving a chair next to her. On the other side, Martha Wayne insisted on having Hawk Girl by her side. She was GL took the chair next to her before Flash could take it. Flash reluctantly took the chair next to him, and Jonn took the last one. Superman and I on the other hand took the chairs next to Dick Grayson, with me taking the last one. That wasn't a very convenient arrangement, but it would pass.

"So, where's your hubby?" Thomas Wayne asked with his usual warm and cheerful smile, "Late to lunch?"

"Dad must be punished too," the Wayne Jr. protested, "He must go and sit in the _bad_ chair when he comes" he said emphatically, pointing to the chair at the other head of the table. "And he should not get the dessert and finish up his green salad. And…"

Andrea raised her eye brows at him suggestively, and he paused. He then bent his head and muttered, "He shouldn't be allowed to use the play station for a week." remembering all the times he was face the wrath.

Thomas Wayne chuckled loudly, "In your dad's case, it must be the computer, not the play station."

"He got a call from Lucius, dad," Andres said, cutting out the further conversation, "I'm sure it's very important, or Bruce wouldn't have…"

Even as she spoke, Bruce strode downstairs, skipping a step each time. He had the phone between his shoulder and ear and used his free hands to fold his sleeves. He was still in the conversation, and from what I could gather, he was desperate to end it with all the politeness he could muster. As he approached the table, he was finally rid of the call. He put his phone back in his pocket. Andrea moved away a little bit as Alfred pulled the chair next to Thomas Wayne, but Bruce shook his head as he moved around to the other end of the table to the _bad_ chair and seated himself there.

"Guess someone has volunteered to take the punishment," Dick muttered to Wayne Jr. He smiled and pressed his hand against his lips.

"Problem, Son?" Thomas Wayne asked, as he started with the soup. That was our cue to start too.

Bruce did not lift his head from the soup he was pursuing too diligently. He simply shook his head and carried on.

Thomas Wayne frowned, but decided to drop the subject. It was insolent on Bruce's part to behave like that with his father, before the guests. Andrea threw nervous glances at Bruce, but he did not seem to be perturbed.

Even as we finished the soup, the phone rang again. Bruce let it ring twice, and then pulled it out of his pocket with clear irritation. He looked at the screen and his expression changed from that of irritation to impuissance.

"I have to take this, I am sorry," he said as he rose from the table. Thomas Wayne put his fork down for a while and looked in Bruce's direction till he disappeared into the hall. He then let out a sigh, and suddenly, seemed to become mindful of our presence.

"This happens often with us," he shrugged, "I apologize on his behalf for the inconvenience."

"No problem, Mr. Wayne," Superman said, "We understand."

"So, Dad! Would you like to inspect the arrangements for the party," Andrea said, trying to change the subject.

"Of course, I will!" Thomas Wayne said, "I gather that the theme color is green this time."

"Yes dad!" Andrea smiled, "It was mom's idea. And Alfred was a great help in setting up the maze in the garden, and I'm sure it'll be the center of attraction."

"And Dick and I have made these green badges, green bow ties and took care of the entire decoration," Jr. said proudly. Dick blushed slightly as Thomas Wayne nodded and smiled.

"Dad did not help with anything," Jr. complained, encouraged by the feedback.

"That's because he was out of town, sweetie." Martha Wayne said.

"Enough trying to get your dada into trouble, Jr." Andrea frowned, "Now finish off your veggies or you'll be in big trouble when he comes back."

Jr. cast his eyes on the broccoli and gave it a disgusting look. He then turned his eyes to Dick in anticipation, who shrugged.

"No, Dick is not going to eat your broccoli this time," Andrea said sharply. Poor Jr. had no choice. He stuffed in a mouthful and struggled to chew, squinting at Dick during each bite.

Bruce entered again, almost weary this time. He paused at the door for a while and rested his forehead against it. Then he cast a menacing look at his phone, as though he was going to break it to pieces.

"Switch off the phone for a while honey," Martha Wayne said in a deep and concerned voice, "You look terribly beaten. Are you not feeling well?"

Bruce spoke this time, but not to his mom. "I will have to catch an early morning flight to China tomorrow."

Thomas Wayne rose his head, "What's wrong, Bruce? I thought we had the deal finalized one month ago."

Bruce sat down in the chair wearily, "Their organizational structure has changed. The company has been bought by Lex Corp, and worst so, Lex Luthor is the direct CEO of the company." He paused, as if that was unappetizing, "He feels that our deadlines are too unrealistic, and wants to have then reviewed and renewed. As the CEO of Wayne tech, the meeting requires my presence."

"But Bruce, why do we have to heed to that?" he asked sharply, "Org change or otherwise, once the agreement has been signed by both the parties, it is their job to adhere to it."

Bruce seemed to have lost his temper at his father's agitated voice.  
><em><strong>"Dad, that's the problem with you! The fact that we are observant doesn't mean that the whole world is. <strong>_", he paused as he realized that his outburst did not come out at the right setting. He then spoke more calmly, "Luthor's aim has always been to trample us, and you still think that he has the best of intentions. He knows how to take advantage of the national laws and local policies. Since the product hasn't been launched yet, Lex has the power to revise the agreement, and even terminate it if he wants to. If that happens, and I'm sure it will, the one year effort of me and my team will go into the ash can. Our stocks will be effected and we will be down to second place again." He paused again to draw one quick breath and before his father could say something, he burst out again.

"Now don't say that it's just a number. The fact is, _**I cannot take it!**_ As I said before, it's not just about one contract. And FYI, if we had acquired that contract, this would never have happened. And…and," he threw a sharp glance at his father again, "_**I just cannot blame anyone!**_"

He stormed out of the room, leaving us baffled and the table shaking. He strode upstairs, skipping a step again. We could hear a door slammed shut.

"Thomas," Martha Wayne squeezed her husband's hand. Thomas Wayne pursed his lips and did not speak for a while. He then rose.

"I am very sorry for the inadvertent interruption. He is disturbed, and I need to go talk to him. I request you to continue with the meal." he then turned to Alfred, "Make sure that everyone finishes their lunch, Alfred. Send Bruce's lunch upstairs after that.


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property od DC Comics and Warner bros. I have used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination.

**Chapter 8 **

The rest of the meal went uneventfully. Andrea tried to strike up a conversation but her efforts didn't pay off. Martha Wayne did not venture to speak at all. The only sound that could be heard at the table other than the tinkling of the cutlery was the occasional protests of junior Wayne as he chewed his green salad. But they were mostly nonverbal and were usually targeted towards Dick.

Back in the room, Hawk Girl sighed heavily as she dropped into the chair.

"That was the most sumptuous meal I've ever had!" she said sardonically, _"Thanks to your fiancé!"_

I disregarded her statement. I had better things to worry about.

"I think I liked him better when he was the cold, moody and grumpy guy we know him to be," she remarked again. I decided to let that pass too. I knew that he wasn't always _that cold and moody guy_. Ever since we got engaged, things had changed drastically between him and I. Things had changed for good. He trusted me. He loved me. And most of all, he let himself be loved by me. We did not let our personal lives interfere with our professional association. He was still the Batman the world knew him to be. But only I knew the Bruce Wayne in him, the Bruce Wayne I love!

But here…

A soft knock on the door interrupted my train of thought.

"Come in," Hawk Girl said, realizing that I would be too late to respond.

The door knob clicked open.

"Oh, it's you," Hawk girl sighed in relief.

It was Superman, and following him were the others.

"We were speculating on whether or not to stay for the party. I mean, I think we are here at the wrong time." Superman said.

"What did you decide?" Hawk Girl asked.

"We are divided in opinion. Superman and Jonn think that we should leave, lest we should affect anything." GL answered.

"And you think that we should stay!" Hawk Girl frowned.

"I only think that it's not the proper manners to leave. Besides, it might make the situation worse for Bruce and his family." GL said. Flash nodded in approval.

"I think we should defer to Jonn's judgement," Hawk Girl said, "It's no good staying here anyway." Hawk Girl said.

"What do you say?" Superman asked me. It was clear that my vote mattered more that Hawk Girl's in this matter.

Before I could speak, we heard another soft knock on the door.

"Please come in," I spoke this time, for I was the only one ready to speak at that moment.

It was Andrea, and following her was Martha Wayne.

"I am sorry, " Andrea apologized, "are we interrupting?"

"Not at all," I said and managed a smile, "We were just discussing random stuff."

Andrea gave a nervous smile, I wasn't sure if she bought that.

"We just wanted to make sure you are comfortable here and," Andrea's voice trailed off as she looked at Martha Wayne for expression.

"And we are sorry for Bruce's behavior at the table." Martha Wayne said. Andrea nodded.

"Oh, you don't have to be sorry, Mrs. Wayne," Hawk Girl said, "We were the ones in the wrong place." She bit her tongue and regretted the remark almost immediately as Martha Wayne flinched.

"Well she means to say that it's your house and you can do anything…" GL started but his voice trailed off. He wasn't going in the right direction either.

"Just…forget it!" Superman gestured.

After a brief pause, Andrea resumed, "I just hope you're still up for the party. Please do stay!" she almost pleaded, "Bruce is really excited to have you all here. He's…he's just too tired. He's been away from us for three months, and the prospect of having to leave us again has frustrated him."

"Of course, we'll stay, Andrea!" I said, without looking at the others. They wanted my vote, and they have it now. I was sure they wouldn't have denied her either.

"Thank you, thank you so much," Andrea shook my hand in excitement. Martha Wayne looked off burdened and she smiled more freely now.

"Father has ordered new suits for you all," she continued, turning to Superman and the others, "I hope we'll get them in a couple of hours." The she turned to us, "Would you two want to try out the outfits I picked for you? I wish I had a better reason to invite you to my room, but I guess this will pass." She laughed.

_And how could I refuse?_


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property od DC Comics and Warner bros. I have used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination.

**Chapter 9**

I had questions, and I needed them to be answered. I would've wanted some private time with Bruce, but given the situation, Andrea was the best source I could get.

Frankly speaking, I wasn't very interested in the outfits. They were typical of a high society party like this one. But we had to humor Andy for she was a self-proclaimed fashion designer too, although the clothes in no way _would make us stand apart_, as she claimed.

"The party starts at 7 PM, sharp." Andrea said, "Although it is not imperative to you, Dad is very particular about keeping time."

"We will be ready," I assured.

"So, do you like them?" she asked, for the one hundredth time.

"Yes, we do," Hawk Girl said. She could not, or rather did not, want to suppress the hint of exasperation in her voice.

Andrea must've caught that for she seemed to be offended.  
>"I am very sorry. I actually am very excited to have you both here, and…well…you get the idea." She shrugged.<p>

"Forgive my rudeness, Andrea." Hawk girl added immediately, "I didn't mean to offend you."

"No problem at all!" Andrea smiled.

The conversation was not going in the direction I wanted. So, before we would have nothing else to pursue in this line and would be forced to retire, I wanted to take the lead.

"So, is Bruce all right now?" I asked, trying to sound as natural as possible.

Andrea's smile vanished. But I wasn't going to let go. I pretended to ignore her inconvenience.

"He will be fine," she said slowly. Then after a short pause, she added, "He never behaved like this before."

I simply nodded, lest anything I'd say should lead to premature drop of the subject.

"He loves dad very much," she added. I could see a small tear drop peeking out of her eye.

Silence prevailed. I wasn't sure if she was going to talk anymore. I knew that I was making her uncomfortable, but it had to be done.

"Please forgive my intrusion into your private matters, Andrea." I said, without giving an impression that I was going to drop the subject, "I couldn't help but overhear Bruce's conversation with his father in the garden."

She frowned. She wasn't aware of the content of the conversation, though she knew that there was one.

"I am sorry, again!" I said softly, "I really would've let it pass for it is none of my business, but I heard something quite distressful and hence I cannot help but bring it up."

"What happened?" Andrea asked, concerned.

Hawk Girl tightened her grip on my shoulder, asking me to back off. But I had come too far, and I needed answers.

"Bruce said excitedly that…" I wanted to quote him, but the click of the door knob caught my attention. The door wasn't locked, and there was no knock. It had to be only one man.

"Andy, I…" the voice trailed off on seeing us. It was Bruce, of course.

"I am sorry," he muttered and stepped back, closing the door.

"Oh, no, Bruce," I realized that I almost shrieked, and the impact was good enough to bring Bruce to a stunned halt.

"I mean…we were just going to leave," I said consciously. Hawk Girl seemed relieved as she led our way to the door.

"No, please, that's all right," Bruce motioned with his hand.

But we were already at the door, and Bruce was blocking the way without being aware of it.

"Never mind, Bruce," I said. I was close enough to him to read the expression on his face. He flinched each time I called him with his first name. I made it sound more natural than he'd expect to hear from a stranger. I could see the beads of perspiration form on his forehead as I politely nudged him with my shoulder as we made our way out.  
>Bruce closed the door behind us.<p>

We walked through the corridor to our room. Halfway down, I couldn't move any further in the direction we were going. My mind urged me to turn around and walk back. To accomplish what – I don't know. But despite Hawk Girl's protests which got physical as she made a futile attempt to pull me along with her, I found myself back at the door of Andrea's room, or rather – Bruce's room.


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property od DC Comics and Warner bros. I have used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination.

**Chapter 10**

"It wasn't like you at all!" Hawk Girl exclaimed when I finally made it back to our own room. But I was preoccupied, and this time, too preoccupied to even realizes that I had knocked down a flower vase at the wall adjacent to the door.

"Are you all right?" Hawk Girl asked, as she struggled with the vase. Luckily, she had caught it just at the right time.

I wasn't aware of myself. My attention turned to the material world only when the arm chair creaked when I placed my hand on it.

"That must be the oldest living bit of furniture in this room," Hawk Girl remarked.

I could only nod in agreement. I stared at the chair, unaware of why I was doing that.

"I ask again," Hawk Girl said, "Is everything alright?"

_Do I have to tell her?_

Even as I speak, I shudder at the thought. Bruce's senses were not as sharp as they were supposed to be. So, neither of them detected my presence at the door. Little did they suspect that I was actually peeping into the room through the key hole which was conveniently large to put both of them in my view.

I should've anticipated that it would happen…

**Previously, In Andrea's room**  
>Bruce let out a sigh as he sat on the bed, beside Andy.<p>

"Are you all right, baby?" Andrea said, feeling his forehead.

"I will be fine, Andy…I will be…" he muttered as he took her hand into his. He squeezed it slightly and closed his eyes.

"You don't have to go, you know!" Andrea started slowly, "You can always send Lucius."

"I don't want to think about it anymore, Andy," Bruce said impatiently, and then his voice softened looking at Andrea's perplexed face. "I'm sorry. Can we…can we just drop the subject for now?"

He let go of her hand and moved closer. He then wrapped his hand around her shoulder and pulled her towards him. He held her in that embrace for a while, breathing heavily as he did so. It was as though he was trying to feel something, as if he was meditating on something.

"Bruce!" Andrea whispered softly as she put her arm around him. She brought her face to his cheek and gave him a peck. And then she withdrew almost immediately.

"You feel hot, baby!" she frowned.

"You didn't know when you felt my forehead?" he smiled.

She impulsively put her hand back to his forehead again. "You're burning!" she exclaimed.

Bruce sighed. "And the situation is not helping me in any way."

Silence prevailed for a while. Bruce withdrew his hand from her and placed it against the mattress. Andrea flinched as he did that, but did not protest. She withdrew her hand too, and for a moment did not know where to put it, for Bruce's palm covered the little gap there was between them. After some amount of deliberation, she put it on his hand. Bruce looked at her hand on his' briefly, and then closed his eyes again.

"Dad is right, Andy. I am unable to prioritize." He said suddenly. Andrea frowned and squeezed his hand.

He continued. "But it is not with everyone! I expect that at least you understand my frustration."

"Do you mean Lex?" she asked.

"You know too well, Andy! I cannot let Lex take over me." he said.

Andrea did not respond. She released her grip on his hand, but did not take it away.

"And this is what I'm afraid of, Andy!" Bruce said, turning to her. He then grabbed her hand which rested on his' and brought it to his lips.

"I am afraid of losing you," he whispered as he pressed his lips on her hand. She shuddered visibly.

"You'll never lose me, Bruce!" she whispered amidst her deep breaths. He was moving up her hand and the length of the jump increased each time. Within moments, he had his head buried between her chin and the chest. Andrea clenched his hair as he moved rapidly.

"Bruce!" she moaned, "It's been like ages!"

"I love you, Andy!" Bruce spoke into her ear, nibbling on it "And I want you to know, that even if I do not express, even if I cannot express, I cannot live without you. I want you to be by my side and give me strength. I want you…"

I could feel my heart race. It seemed louder than the words of the two. I cannot put a finger on the feeling which into which I was engulfed at that point of time. _**It isn't Bruce, it isn't Bruce!**_ I kept saying to myself, although I didn't know if it was necessary, or if it was sufficient. My instinct pushed me to break open the door and let the nature take its course. I felt like I was being cheated upon. I hated him. No… I hated_**her!**_.

I was so overcome with rage at that one moment, that now when I think back about it, it seems an utter contradiction to my original self. _Diana - the princess of the Amazons, the race who despised men, now loathed Andrea for the love of a man._ It was this reasoning, this exact reasoning which brought me back to senses. I knew that I could not let that happen. I wasn't weak, and I wasn't going to be weak. I stood up with a jerk that shook the floor a bit. But no one seemed to take notice of it. I walked back to the room; rather my legs brought me back to the room. I kept telling myself, again - _**HE IS NOT BRUCE! HE IS NOT MY BRUCE!**_. And this time, the words resounded in my ears.

**********************************************************************************

"Diana!" Hawk Girl shook me by the arm.

"I think we should get some rest, Shayera," I said, walking to the bed, "The party will start in 4 hours."


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**

The characters in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination

Chapter 11

Neither of us talked again, till a soft knock on the door finally relieved us of the pain of pretending to being asleep. Well, I wasn't prepared to sleep when I curtly dismissed any scope for further conversation by lying down on the bed and deliberately closing my eyes. Shayera had no choice but to follow. But I believe that between us two, I had the reason for not being able to sleep. But it wasn't the thought of hat I had witnessed which disturbed me. I was sure it wasn't that. But what else could it be?

It was Alfred at the door. I breathed out in relief when I saw him, for I was half expecting Andrea. After what had happened, needless to say, I would have some trouble facing her, although she would be completely agnostic of my situation.

"The party will start in an hour madam. Mrs. Wayne had instructed me to make sure that I inform you, and so, I took the liberty of disturbing your sleep." He said, in the most courteous voice he is so known for. I almost smiled in reminiscence as I remembered that Alfred once told me how Bruce would try to imitate him when he was a child and fail miserably in his attempt.

"Thank you Alfred," I said, trying to sound equally polite, "We will be down soon."

Alfred smiled back and walked towards the rooms where the others were.

"Had a good sleep?" Shayera asked, stretching herself.

"I guess you did," I said.

"I know you didn't," she said.

"The why ask?" I retorted.

"Just to make sure," she shrugged.

"We must get ready soon," I said, trying to change the topic.

"Yeah, right," she sighed, "Do you know a place where I can get my hair done?"

"May be you should ask Andy," I said, not biting the bait.

"Andy!" she crossed her arms, "Friends?" she raised her eye brows.

"That's what they call her here and that was a slip of tongue," I said, irritated, or more so, humiliated. _Why was she doing this to me?_ She, of all, should know how I felt.

"I guess I'll drop the idea," she said, "Anyway, why would anyone want to look at my hair now?"

"Precisely," I muttered.

-

Despite being complete strangers to the family, we were very well received by the others. The inquisitive flock gathered around Superman and GL and Jonn. Flash was entertaining a different set of audience at the pool, the gang lead by Jr. Wayne. We remained close to Martha Wayne, or she kept us close to her, as she introduced us to her friends. Thomas Wayne made sure he greeted each of the guests personally. Dick Grayson was in a tux, and from the look on his face, he did not seem to be interested in the women swooning on him. He looked anxiously at his watch and at the door.

Suddenly, the room fell silent and all the eyes fixed on the stair case. There was a huge applause as Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Wayne came down into the hall.

Thomas Wayne nudged his way through the guests and walked to a small dias when occupied the center of the hall.

"Ladies and gentleman, a toast, to my son and the source of my pride Bruce Wayne!"

Everyone joined the toast, as Thomas Wayne engulfed Bruce in a tight hug. Bruce hugged back, and it was as if nothing had happened. They were one big happy family again.

"What are you doing here?" a low but sharp voice startled me and I was forced to turn back by my instincts. Standing before me was a man with an almost oval face, dark eyes and neatly trimmed dark hair and a long bare forehead. His eyes were fixed at me initially, but looking at my perplexed countenance, they darted around, as though to make sure that we were not being watched. His eyes fixed at a point behind my shoulder and his lips curved into a smile.

I took time to recognize him. And as I look back on it, I assert that it wasn't my fault. I hadn't encountered him before, and even when I did, I did not pay much attention to his face, his _actual_ face. Bruce never talked much about him either. It's hence hard to describe my feelings when the revelation dawned upon me, or rather when Bruce helped the revelation dawn upon me.

"Mr. Harvey Dent!" I heard Bruce exclaim, "It's an honor to have you here."


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer**

The characters in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination

Chapter 12

I was too perplexed to talk this time, or to make sense of the surroundings. I could only see what was going on and wasn't sure of what my expression actually was. Bruce extended his hand for a shake and Harvey Dent snapped at it.

"Shut up, you idiot!" he said, "One, you don't tell me that you're back in town, and two, you call me _Mr. Harvey Dent_! I'll have you prosecuted."

Bruce laughed, "Sorry, Harv!" he said warmly, "I didn't know if it was appropriate on my part to address the DA so casually."

"Yeah, right!" Harvey said, slapping his arm. Bruce flinched at the impact. "And I have pronounced my punishment."

"All right, all right," Bruce raised his palms into the air, "Now that guilty is charged, you might want to wish me."

Harvey laughed and patted Bruce's back, "Happy Birthday to you, old chum! And congratulations on making it top of Forbes fortune list."

Bruce's expression turned into a frown. "Let's not discuss it now, Harv! The things got heated up this afternoon on this, and I don't want to spoil the mood again."

Harvey frowned, but prepared to let go. "Never mind, then."

And now that the pleasantries were exchanged and there was nothing else to talk about, the focus was on me again.

"I'm sure you know Wonder Woman," Bruce said.

"Yes, of course, I do," Harvey smiled, "It's a surprise to see you and the others here." He said. He must've wanted to me read between the lines, but I wasn't used to it, and hence I didn't catch the significance of his remark.

A soft music filled the room, and there was a sudden uproar of the guests, followed by a silence.

"I guess I'll leave you two to it," Bruce said, as he looked about and locked eyes with Andrea.

"Andy looks gorgeous tonight," Harvey remarked, as he greeted her with eyes. She was on the other side of the room and was now making her way towards us.

"Not half as gorgeous as your date though," Bruce mumbled and winked. _Who was a referring to?_  
>"You want me to tell that to Andy?" Harvey teased.<p>

"Comm'om man," Bruce protested, "I am in enough trouble already."

"Yeah, you are," Harvey said, "I wonder how Andy even let you walk up to us alone. Remember veronica Vreeland's party where you complimented the beauty of some animal rights activist?"

"Her name is Selina Kyle," Bruce said.

"Of course, I remember her name. I just want to emphasize that it'll be good for you if you forget it." Harvey said.

"For God's sake, Harv! I only complimented on her demeanor." Then he paused for a while and whispered, "Although you have to give it to her, she was gorgeous. But Andy made such a fuss, she actually wanted to dye her hair blonde."

"Um, enjoy yourself Bruce," Harvey said in a sudden change of voice. Bruce realized that Andrea had approached close enough.

"Hey, Harvey! So nice to see you," Andrea greeted him, "And I see you have found your date after all."

Harvey laughed.

"Well this was unanticipated," he shrugged, "But now that we are here…" he looked at me, "Let's have this dance!"

_What?_


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**

The characters in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination

Chapter 13

I didn't want to. Of course, I didn't want to. But I found myself doing it.

"Don't tell me you fell for him," Harvey's words brought me out of the trance. I realized that all that time we were watching, I was looking at Bruce, _only Bruce, not Bruce and Andrea._

"Although I must admit he is way more handsome than I am," he continued, now that my attention was on him.

"No, I…I wasn't," I stammered. _Why was I even trying to offer him an explanation?_

"That's all right," he smiled. I found myself looking at his lips. _Not as elegant as when Bruce does it!_ The fact that he smiled so little made it so precious, and beautiful. But Harvey's smile missed that feel by a mile.

"You didn't tell me why you're here," he said, lowering his head a little so he could look me in the eye. He seemed to be satisfied that I was finally paying some attention to him.

"Bruce invited us," I said.

"Well, I can see that," he said, "but what did you guys do to make him invite you? It cannot be that Bruce simply walked into metro tower and handed you the invitation."

I sensed the sarcasm in his tone, and a slight disapproval whenever he mentioned Bruce. But more than anything else, I was struck by the mention of Metro tower. Is that what they called the _Watch tower_?

"Although I wouldn't be surprised if he did," he continued, "you people are being too lenient on visitors these days." I threw a sharp glance at Superman who didn't seem to mind.

"And again, I think you are doing the right thing trying to avoid me," he said, turning to me.

I was getting tired of the conversation. Not that it wasn't of interest. May be I was too tired drawing parallel between Harvey and Bruce. Or maybe I was too inconvenient being held like that by him. Whatever the reason was, I decided to put an end to it.

"We happened to be here, due to a mishap…and Bruce drove off the cliff. We saved him and he invited us." I managed not to get the teleporter part into the explanation. However it was nagging me on the back of my mind that he would notice and I would be obliged to answer the obvious question.

But to my surprise, the conversation took at different line.  
>"He drove off the cliff! What is he, mad?" he gasped.<p>

"It was partly our fault." I muttered, "Jonn came in front of his car, and he tried to avert, lost control and slipped down."

He was clearly displeased with our adventure.  
>"Do they know about it?" he almost whispered.<p>

"Who?" I frowned.

"His family members, of course," he said in the same voice, "Is that what Bruce was talking about when he said - _Things got heated up this afternoon?_"

"No, they do not," I shook my head. I did not get into the details of the happenings of the afternoon, though somewhere in my mind, I felt that Harvey would have the answers to my questions.

"Then what is it that bothered him and the family?" he asked. I was unable to decipher his intentions or the reason for his curiosity, for he seemed rather anxious. It was hard to convince myself that Harvey was only interested as a friend would be.

"I don't know, it had something to do with having to leave to China," I said, and paused. I could see some discomfort in his face. Perhaps the conversation was going in the direction I wanted it to. So, I threw in the final piece. "And something to do with Luthor…I am not very sure what that is. But from his outburst this afternoon, looks like Luthor is giving him some trouble."

"Lex!" Harvey muttered to himself, and his eyes fell on Superman. His fists clenched automatically, and it looked like he wanted to punch Superman in face.

"Does he know about all this?" he said, not taking his eyes off Superman, who grossly ignored him. It was for me to substitute the _he_ with an appropriate noun.

"Superman was there at the table, of course. He does know." I said.

"And he didn't say anything?" Harvey turned sharply to me, his eyes facing mine at the level.

"No, he didn't," I said, although I wanted to say , "_Why does he have to?"_

Before he could respond, the corner of my eye caught a movement in our direction. Superman was walking towards us, carefully nudging his way through the crowd.

"Well, there is one good news for me," he shrugged, "I am married, to Lois!"

"Of course you are," Harvey frowned. Superman winced at the unwarranted interruption.

"Why are you glaring at me like that?" Harvey asked, with a slight irritation in his tone.

Superman did not speak. He looked back and forth from Harvey to me and raised his eye brow. I nodded slightly, and then he looked from Harvey to Bruce and back to Harvey.

"You don't say!" he muttered.

"Don't say what?" Harvey demanded.

We did not find it necessary to reply. "_Welcome to the club_", I muttered, hoping that only Superman could hear.


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**

The characters in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I used them in this story which is a product of my own imagination

Chapter 14

"Do you know that Lex is bothering him?" Harvey asked sharply.

Superman frowned. "Of what business is that to you?" he asked.

Harvey clenched his teeth, but Superman looked in exasperation. Even he did not like the new face of Batman, or whatever he called himself.

"I thought we had clearly defined our domains of interest." he said.

"Did we?" Superman raised his eye brows. Rest assured he did not know what he was talking about. But it wasn't taken in that spirit by Harvey.

"I don't want to go over it again and again, Superman!" he said, "You do remember that I agreed to your pact with Lex only because he promised to leave Bruce alone. If Lex breaks the promise, there is nothing stopping me from redeeming my control over things, and I tell you, I don't mind bringing the entire League down for Bruce's safety."

As clear as it was intended to be, Harvey's monologue was reduced to rigmarole owing to the lack of context on our part. I left it for Superman to carry on the conversation.

"I don't see why you have to worry so much about a simple business deal." he said, hoping to play safe.

"Is it that China based company which Lex took over all of a sudden?" Harvey asked, raising one eye brow suggestively.

"Yes, it is. But I don't think we need to interfere." Superman said.

"And why do you suppose Lex was interested in the almost bankrupt company, whose only saving grace was its project with Wayne Tech?" Harvey said.

"And the reason Bruce was interested was…" Superman said. Again, he had no idea and that was intended to be a question, and again, Harvey did not catch it.

"I don't believe you can be so ungrateful to someone who was our monetary support ever since we came into existence. _League wouldn't have existed without him!_" Harvey said in contempt.

I found myself agreeing to the point. Bruce had never brought this up, he had taken it as his responsibility and fulfilled it whole heartedly. But that was not the only thing he brought to the table. And there are times where we did act ungrateful, but he didn't mind. However, the point here was that despite not being Batman, Bruce still played his role in the league.

"I am not ungrateful to him," Superman protested.

"And yet you didn't do anything to stop Lex," Harvey retorted.

"This is something both of them can sort out by themselves," Superman said, in a lower tone.

"Oh, Superman! I am forced to believe that you are as stupid as you sound right now. Ok, then let me tell you, not that you don't know, but let me jog your memory– Lex is after that technology, desperately. And I am sure that his intentions are not to the best interest of the public or the league for that matter. That is why I had Bruce step in, to save the company before it falls into the hands of Lex. The board however was against buying the company. Of course no man would want to buy that. The best Bruce could convince them was to offer the project. But then, the eager owner of the company sold it to Lex, who was more than happy to oblige, and of course he didn't give a damn to what his stake holders had to say. And now, Bruce had played directly into Lex's hands." He paused, to see if Superman seemed enlightened. He managed to show the desired expression.

"It was my mistake, I admit it was. I shouldn't have dragged Bruce into it, especially given his condition…" Harvey paused and drew his face away. This was the part we were interested in. _Comm'on Harvey, what is it?_

"What condition?" Superman asked, without as much as giving the statement a thought.

Harvey began to say something, but he was interrupted when the music stopped. Perhaps it was unintended at that point of time, for there was a sudden uproar of incoherent voices.

"Ladies and gentlemen," came a voice from the direction of the door. An unmistakable voice!

"I am sorry for the interruption, but I couldn't help it. I need your attention as I wish my very best friend, Bruce Wayne, _Happy Birthday!_"

Bruce froze in his place, his eyes wide. Apparently he has seen the person in question. Nudging his way through the applauding crowd, the bald head shone as the man came forward to shake Bruce's hand.

**_Lex Luthor!_**

"Wish you many more happy returns of this day, my friend!" he said, as he extended his hand. Bruce stared at the hand, but did not extend his own.

"Who invited you?" he said, after a long pause.

"Do I need to be invited for my friend's birthday party?" Lex raised his eye brow. "And I see you have invited the league." He said, looking towards us. "I am in the League too, you know! So, wherever the League goes, I go too."

Thomas Wayne hurried his way to the site. He looked concerned, and equally surprised at Lex's visit. Bruce squinted at his father.

"Did you?" he asked.

"I didn't," Thomas Wayne shook his head fervently.

"He didn't invite me, Bruce. Don't start yelling at your father again." Lex said, as he seated himself on the couch. He helped himself with a glass of wine, took a sip and said, "I must say, you have developed a temper over the years. Or is it just after you realized that you don't have many years left?"

The audience gasped. Bruce grunted his teeth and Andrea pressed his shoulder.

"I am sorry about that," Lex said, mocking an apology, "but I had never of someone your age have a _Brain Stroke!_.I mean, heart-attack is definitely something. Brain tumor or Brain cancer can be accepted as well. But Brain stroke!" he laughed. "You do realize you have to keep your temper, and thus your blood pressure under control!"

Harvey clenched his fists and began to say something to me, when, without a word of warning, Superman charged at Luthor and held him by the collar.

"Apologize to him, Luthor," he threatened.

"What's wrong with you, Superman?" Lex said, perplexed. After a brief pause he added, "You do realize that you are not doing the right thing."

"I am...now," Superman said, as his grip tightened. "Apologize to him, now!"

"We will discuss this, Superman!" Lex said, as he tried to push his hands away. But Superman was resolved not to let go. The situation now grew embarrassing for Lex, as everyone had their eyes fixed on him. Adding to it were whispers and muffled laughter.

"Now he is doing the right thing!" Harvey whispered to me. He sounded elated as he did. "I am really glad that he finally decided to stand up for Bruce."

"There is no reason why he shouldn't," I said. "If Superman hadn't acted, I am sure the rest of us would have."

Harvey stared at me. "Do you _mean_ it?" he mouthed without sound.

"Of course, I do," I shrugged.

"You do realize this can potentially bring the League down," Harvey said.

"I don't care!" I said, and turned to the scene.

"I am waiting, Lex," Superman said menacingly.

Bruce seemed to get out of the trance, and he wasted no further time. He ran up to Superman and caught his arm.

"It's ok, Superman! Let go of him," he said, trying to pulling the arm away. Now it was Superman's turn to get perplexed.

"You are willing to let him go, despite being humiliated by him before everyone?" he asked.

"It's no big deal, Superman," he said, "I don't want you to fight among yourselves for me!"

"Why do you undermine yourself?" Superman asked, slightly relaxing the grip on Luthor.

"I appreciate your concern, Superman," Bruce said, "But I am not bigger than the league."


	16. Chapter 15

"I appreciate your concern, Superman," Bruce said, "But I am not bigger than the league."

Need we be any more confounded…

Thus the party ended even before it began. Lex made an impromptu retreat, clearly not happy with the way things worked out. From what I could see, Superman, I mean Superman of this world was clearly in some trouble.

Bruce strode out of the hall into the study with all the dignity he could muster. Harvey followed him. The ordeal of restoring order was now on Mr. Wayne. Alfred was asked to deposit the cake in the Wayne foundation's orphanage. The guests promptly delivered the presents and they were seen to the door by Mr. and Mrs. Wayne. No one mentioned the incident. Wayne Jr. protested as his mother half dragged him across the hall and up the stairs. Rest assured, he knew nothing about the charade and was rather disappointed that his dad would not be cutting the cake he had so fondly selected. Dick Grayson was nowhere to be found. Later it was observed that his sports bike had gone missing and Commissioner Gordon was found looking for his daughter Barbara Gordon. When the notes were put together, no one bothered to give it a second thought.

As for us, we were right there at the center of the hall, thinking of the most inconspicuous way to retreat. Well at least one of us was.

"We have done enough damage, let's go!" Jonn said, breaking my reverie.

"No, not yet!" came an impulsive answer from Superman. "I must find out what's going on."

I couldn't agree more.

"I think Jonn is right," GL seconded, "we shouldn't be staying here any longer. I'm sure they realize by now that we are not their Justice League. How do you propose to explain?"

"There is no harm in telling them the truth," Superman said, "which I would've done to begin with, if it wasn't for your insistence."

"It's not the time for blame game," Hawk Girl interjected before GL and Jonn could make their case, "I believe that we should leave too."

"I agree," Flash said, "there is no point in our staying here anyways. If they've got issues, they'll sort it out themselves."

"I still think we at least owe them an explanation, if, as you say, we have caused damage," I said. Clearly Superman and I were the only ones interested in staying behind.

"That or otherwise," Superman said, "I am going to find out what's going on."

The others sighed. Clearly, being on majority didn't matter when Superman was determined. If anyone could outweigh him, it would be Bruce himself. But, well, it was out of question then.

And thus, we found ourselves in the study.

I wouldn't say it was a non-intrusive entry that we made, for Superman, with the best of his intentions, could not wait for the door to be answered. The result, the Waynes would have to buy a new one.


	17. Chapter 16

"Who are you?" Harvey demanded.

Superman paid no attention. He was not used to taking questions or orders from this voice, no matter what it meant in this world.

"Bruce, what is this all about?" he asked.

Bruce tried to say something but Harvey stopped him.  
>"My question first, who are you?"<p>

"Superman, we need to go, now." John said, breaking in. "I sense we have already caused an irreparable damage."

"Who are you?" Harvey demanded again.

Superman remained silent, cue for John to take over.

"We are the Justice League," he paused, "From another dimension"

"I knew it," Harvey snapped, "You are the Justice Lords."

"No, no we're not." John said, before Superman could interfere.

"I don't believe you. Only the Justice Lords could've had the audacity to behave the way you did with Luthor." He squinted at Superman.

"Obviously, the turn of events in this dimension have been different from those in our dimension." John continued. I could sense he was using some mental restraint to stop the others from acting. "But we do not want to tamper with the balance of space time anymore. We are going back to where we came from."

"Not until I get my answers," Superman said. "Bruce, I need to talk to you."

"Don't bother him," Harvey said.

"It's ok, Harv," Bruce rose. "What is it you want from me, Superman?"

Superman examined him for a moment.  
>"What happened to you?"<p>

Bruce sighed. Harvey tried to chip in but Bruce waved him away.  
>"I don't know why you feign so much interest in my personal life, but if you really have to know, I have a medical condition which," he paused, "Well you can say I have a terminal disease and I don't know when I'll succumb. That answers your question."<p>

"No, it doesn't. Since when have you this..."

"Will you please stop bothering him?" Harvey retorted.

"About an year now. I was diagnosed on Sep 12th of the last year. Do you need my medical records too?" Bruce said with a hint of frustration.

I was the next to speak. The date...it haunted me.  
>"Do you have...visions of us, before you pass out?"<p>

The question was vague and would be vague to someone who had no context. But I was sure Bruce would understand. And he did.

"Yes, strange but yes. How do you know?"

Superman froze. _September 12th of last year_ - Yes, that explained everything. So, that was the point from where history branched out. That was the day when he had...

"Superman let's go." John grabbed him by his arm and attempted to drag him along. The portal was open.

"No, wait," Bruce shouted, "how do you know about it?"

Superman heeded reluctantly. One inch away from the portal, he turned around. Bruce was staring at the scene in somewhat disbelief. Harvey inched closer to him as Superman turned.

"I am sorry, Bruce!" he muttered. John pulled him in hastily. We only had the time to see Bruce's family enter the study and gape in astonishment as we faded away before their eyes.

-

"You shouldn't have said that Diana," John said. I simply nodded.

"Will he...die, John?" Superman asked, nearly choking on the last words.

"We no longer control what happens out there, and that's all that matters for us, for now." John said solemnly.

We were back, to our own world.


	18. Chapter 17

I sat there, trembling, my eyes refusing to meet his'

_I was done!_

It was he who finally broke the silence, but not on his accord.

"Andrea..." his breath slipped and my heart skipped a beat. That moment, I felt that I did not know him anymore.

"Sir," came Alfred's voice, from the doorway, "Superman is here to see you."

"Superman?" Bruce frowned, "You mean..._Superman_"

"Yes, sir," Alfred said without flinching. He knew what his master meant, and he wanted to reaffirm that there was no one else around and that he hadn't been noticed.

Bruce sighed and rose. He shot a fleeting glance at me as he left the room. He did not ask to be excused as Bruce would normally do. He did not say a word.

_I did not know him anymore_

I followed him outside, anyway, and he did not resist.

**************************************************

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior," Superman said somberly.

Bruce considered him for a while, and nodded.

"I also wanted to wish you - Happy Birthday!" he said.

"Well...thank you." Bruce nodded again. And then after a pause, he said, "I appreciate it."

Superman fists clenched. Bruce knew everything they had been through, and still, he was playing hard on him.

As if it was a cue, Bruce placed his hand on his shoulder and patted briefly. He began to say something but decided against it. He let his grip his shoulder for a moment and then let it slip away.

He gulped visibly. He was no Batman. He held Bruce's palm before it lost complete contact with him. He breathed heavily, eyes shut tight, as if trying to fight off a nagging feeling of guilt. Next moment, Bruce found himself being crushed in an embrace.

"Superman...let...go!" Bruce choked. Superman drew away, realizing his mistake.

"I...I am so sorry," he stammered. Bruce sank into the sofa.

I couldn't help but smile as he panted heavily for a second and then tried to regain control over his breath. Superman smiled sheepishly, scratching his head.

"Next time..." Bruce said finally, "Give me a heads up."

"Sure, sorry again."

"I feel sorry for Lois," Bruce muttered. Superman let that go unheard.

"I need to get going," Superman said, stepping back, "I should get ready to cover your party."

"Perry is sending you?" Bruce frowned.

"I'm afraid Lois is sick!" he smirked and left before Bruce could react.

"Now, where were we?" he said casually.

He was playing me now, and for all I had seen of him in the other world, I had more than one reason to smack him in the face.

"That was everything." I said.

He sighed, sinking back into the chair.  
>"Looks like there is no respite for Bruce Wayne in any world." he shook his head.<p>

I did not know how I was supposed to take that.

"Would you rather be there, Bruce," I voiced the question which had been nagging me all the while. Again, the woman in me wanted him to decline.

"What makes you think so," he asked.

I sat down next to him. I wasn't aware of the change in my position till I met his eyes levelly. They were not the icy cold eyes of Batman which peered into my soul. They were firm and soft at the same time.

I wanted to say, "I don't want to think so." But something in me told that it was not what he wanted to hear.

"You had your family, everything you ever wanted."

"And I was so egoistic to not see the value of it all."

"No," I almost jumped, "No, you were not. You were still the man who stood up for the right. You were still with us."

"And yet I let the League go to Luthor. I was weak."

"You were not Batman," I screamed. Bruce did not flinch. It was as if he saw that coming. It was as if he wanted to hear that from me. His eyes, still firm and soft, still fixed at me.

"Yes, I was not Batman." he said softly.

I could not decipher what those eyes were trying to tell me. There was a painful anticipation in them. _What else do you want from me, Bruce?_

"I was not Batman," he repeated, "and that made all the difference."

"I am sure you wouldn't have let it happen. **_You did not let it happen!_**" I said. I could sense my eyes brimming up with tears.

"Did it make a difference to you, Diana?" he asked, holding his ground.

Did _What_ make a difference to me? I simply stared at him.

"The fact that I was not Batman."

I let out a sharp sigh. Not this...not again. Why are you doing this to me, Bruce?

I did not see him inch towards me, taking my hand into his. I did not sense anything till I felt his lips against my fingers. It was not their touch that ran goosebumps all through me, it was the heat.

"Bruce, you're...hot." I withdrew instinctively and felt his forehead, "You're burning!"

He chuckled. "Looks like there is a connection between the worlds after all."

I closed my eyes and let tears flow freely, my lips forming a pout. He caressed my cheeks and rubbed the tears away.

"This is my reality, Diana. This is my world and I don't want to fight it. I have no regrets. This is what I am...what I chose to be. And this is what I will be, for as long as I have..."

I brought my hand to his lips, cutting him off. I could not bear to hear that again.

Finger by finger, he pushed my hand away.  
>"If you want to shut my mouth, there are better ways of doing that." he smiled.<p>

And the woman in me wanted to seal those lips up with mine, forever if I could.

"I love you, Princess," he whispered into my ear as our lips parted.

And there I was, the Princess of Themyscira, the strongest, the immortal, the Wonder Woman - seeking respite in this man's embrace. I had lost count of the number of times this feeling nagged me since this morning. I was being just another woman.

But it was not just to any other man...

_And I do not regret it..._

_- THE END -_


End file.
